Device for increasing illumination of photographic images



Patented June 12, 1951 -UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE DEVICE FOR, INCREASING ILLUMINATION OF PHOTOGRAPHIC'IMAGES Joseph, B. '..Walker, .Hollywood, Calif.

Application May 15, 1948; serial'Nop 27,199

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates generally-to camera at- -tachments, and contemplates'more specifically a device for uniformly brightening or increasing -the -illumination of a photographicimage registered upon the'film duringexposure within the camera.

While the intensity of the light reflected directl-y 'from a photographic'subject to the film normally determines the delineation attainable in the image as registered bythe film, the contrast betweenthe highly illuminated elements of the subject appears to be'exaggerated, while the darker-elements of the image are unduly subdued. This-is due ina large measuretothe inability of the eye of an-observer to distinguish between the --difierent-gradations of darker shadows imposed upon-the film. It is accordingly'desirableto uniformly increase the illumination of the entire image, whereby differences inthe light intensity of'different shadow portions-of the imagemay be -Inore-readilydistinguished, without material loss of definition.

It is-a general object of the present invention to provide-a device for combinative utility with conventional motion picture or still cameras by Which a soft diffused glow of white or colored light may-be directed to'and impressed upon the film during exposure to uniformly-raise the light value of the'recorded image, and thereby either 3 increase the low light values to an intensity capable of being more easily distinguished bythe observer, orreduce the exposure time required.

Another and highly important obj ect-is to provide means for transmitting to the film through the lens system ofacamera a-colored or filtermodified lightcoincident with-exposure to variously-effect-the brightness 'of the image or the "tinting of a colored image recorded upon the film.

Another object isto providea light source in combinationwith means for directing the light to the film for the purposes above indicated,

wherein the intensityand color of the light beam directed to the film-may be-varied so as to produce different pictorial effects upon successive exposures.

'More specifically it is an objecthereofto provide a camera attachment comprising a light box containing alamp adapted to bemounted in a position forward and laterally of the camera in combination with atransmissionmirror axially coincident with the optical system to transmit light/from thesubject to be photographed and reflect light emanating from the lamp to the film,

the light -refl'ected'by the transmission mirror being-variabie in response to a manual control.

-Other-objects and important advantagesof my invention include simplicity of construction, economy ofmanufacture, adaptability tocameras of various types, and theattainment of amaterial gainin film speedwill-be apparent to thoseof skill in the art upon an examinationof the following descriptionread in the light of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 J's-an elevation, partially broken away, of a camera attachment embodying my invention, illustrating its application toa conventional camera;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal-sectional view of the devicedepicted in Fig. 1, with the camera broken awayto illustrate the-position of the filmwith respect to the auxiliary lightsource.

Fig. 3-.is acircuit diagram of theillumination system.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numerals of whichindicate similar parts throughout the several views, 5-designates generally a camera'inwhich'film 8 isaccommodated. It will be understood that asthe photographic attach- -ment hereof is adapted for utility with any wellknown-type of camera, the details of camera '5, not forming any part of the invention, are not illustrated. Projecting from the 'forepart'of the camera. and forming anessential part thereof is-a tubular lens mounting 1 in which are housed lenses88for projectingto'the film an image of the photographic subject.

A box-like frame 9 comprising aback l0, top I I,

bottom l2and end walls l3 secured by -s'uitable meansi'not-shov/n) forward of thecamera'on the lens mounting l with the latter projecting -15 nearest adjacent the lens axis of the camera comprises a wall l'l'having a large'rectangular opening is therein through which light rays from a suitable source enclosed within the housing l5 are directed. The light source comprises four lamps l9 mounted in sockets 20 carried by a 'horizontal partition 2l secured-to the walls lB'and Wof-the-lamp'housing I5. Two of the sockets Ware arranged in parallel in a circuit and the other two are similarly included in a circuit then be employed in the usual manner.

36a. Each circuit is controlled by a conventional rheostat 22 and a switch 23 by which the power to the lamps I9 may be varied or the circuits completely broken. In the embodiment illustrated, the pairs of lamps of the respective circuits are of different colors whereby differently colored beams of light may be coincidently or separately produced in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter more fully described.

A pair of flat guide rails 24 are secured to the side I6 of the lamp housing and to the back Ill Of the frame 9, respectively, in a common plane parallel to but spaced from the inner surface of the wall I'I. Thus the wall I1 and guide rails 24 are adapted to engage the marginal edges of a glass panel 25 so as to sustain the panel in normally vertical position across the opening I8 in the wall IT. A second pair of vertical rails 26 are secured to the wall I6 and back wall I0, respectively, in a plane spaced from the rails 24 r at corresponding sides of the housing I so as to slidably accommodate the opposed vertical marginal edges of a filter 21 between the rails 24 and 26 at each side of the lamp housing.

The panel 25 is translucent, being formed with one surface thereof roughened to provide for the transmission of a uniformly diffused soft glow of light. It will be appreciated that the means for slidably mounting the panel 25 in the frame 9 permits the substitution of any of a plurality of glass panels varying in their degree of translucency. correspondingly, the filter 21 is only illustrative of one of any number of light-modify- 7 ing expedients which may be slid between the rails 24 and 26 upon removal of the filter. The light beam transmitted by the filter 21 and panel 25 is intensified by an arcuate reflector 28 interposed between the lamps I9 and the adjacent end wall I3 of the frame 9.

through the filter 2'! and panel 25 to the lens system B-8 of the camera and upon the film 6 within the latter, while coincidentally transmitting light reflected from the subject to be photographed to the film. While the particular transmission mirror 29 employed may vary in the proportion of its transmission and reflective values, it is preferred for most purposes that the mirror be relatively weak, i. e., of the order of ninety per cent transmission and ten per cent reflection.

The use and operation of the device is further briefly described as follows:' Any suitable clamps or conventional supporting mechanism may be provided to mount the frame 9 upon the lens mounting I of the camera. The camera may With a transmission mirror 29 0f the'type above indicated, installed within the frame 9, the light refiected from the subject to be photographed to the film will be reduced by approximately ten per cent. The closing of the circuits 30 and 30a through the lamps I9 is effective to transmit a diffused beam of light to the transmission mirror 29. While approximately ninety per cent of the light of the beam is transmitted by the mirror, the remaining ten per cent of that portion -of the beam which is directed to the area of the mirror encompassed by the lens system 8-8 of the camera is reflected to the film 6. The intensity of the light may be varied in accordance with the specific results to be achieved by adjustment of the rheostats 22. In any event the value of the light reaching the film from the lamp housing I5 will be normally, though not necessarily, greater than that reflected from the photographic subject which is lost incident to the interposition of the mirror 29. The resultant loss in delineation in the image is more than olfset by the uniform increase in illumination of the entire image by the auxiliary light beam, thus raising the light value of the shadowed details of the image and enabling the shadowed portions to be more easily discerned. Accordingly, even with a ten per cent loss in light reflected from the subject, a gain in film speed or a reduction in exposure time, without material loss of delineation, is achieved.

The choice and utility of a filter 21 for reducing or eliminating light of a certain color emanating from the lamps I9, or of adding color to the beam, depends upon the purposes to be accomplished. A color negative may be impressed with a tint of any desired color.

Coincident and corresponding adjustment of the rheostats 22 permits variation in the intensity of the light beam reflected to the film by the transmission mirror 29. Variable and relative adjustment of the rheostats 22 permits corresponding variation in the coloring of the superposed light directed to the film. Thus successively photographed stills or serially arranged motion pictures of the same scene may by reason of the consequent variation in the illumination of the successively recorded images, produce unusual pictorial effects.

While I have shown and described but one embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that numerous changes in size, design, shape and number of the various elements hereof may be made, and that the reflective value of the transmission mirror 29 may be reduced and the lightproductive qualities of the lamp assembly increased so as to transmit a proportionately greater amount of light from the photographic subject while attaining maximum benefit of the auxiliary light beam, without departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In an attachment for a camera having a lens system, a box structure comprising a fioor and a lamp housing, means for attachment of said box structure to the front of the camera with said lamp housing disposed laterally of the field of said lens system of the camera, a pair of differently colored lamps in said lamp housing,

means in said lamp housing to direct a beam of I light from said lamps across the field of said lens JOSEPH B. WALKER.

(References on following page) Y REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS- Number Name Date 999,115 Le Beau July 25, 1911 1,482,068 Douglass Jan. 28, 1924 1,482,070 Douglass Jan. 28, 1924 Number Name Date Roes Sept. '7, 1926 Barkelew June 9, 1931 Rackett July 4, 1944 Hanson Nov. 13, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain July 4, 1929 

